TO the
members of the Court of Saint Mary of Walsingham, grace, peace, and
Our Apostolic Blessing be upon you all this Ash Wednesday and the
start of the Lenten Season in the two thousand fourteenth year of the
Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ. On this day the faithful are
reminded that we are all dust, and we shall all return to dust. It is
a time to confront our own frail humanity, our own mortality, and our
own weaknesses. The fallen state of mankind is so often exhibited in
ways that also underscore our mortality. These include war and
persecution, two prime examples of man's inhumanity to man. As we
speak, there is strife around the world, as it seems there always is.
We need hardly mention that chief among these are the conflict in
Syria and the tensions in the Ukraine. In Syria, while the leaders of
the world pretend that nothing is going on, Christians are being
killed, harmed, tortured, and persecuted. Some are forced to leave
their ancient homeland in search of safety, for Syria is indeed one
of the oldest areas in Christendom. In the Ukraine we see the results
of revolution and the chaos it brings. More often than not, the
anarchist revolutionaries that bring about such chaos profess to be
overthrowing a bad government, only to institute a worse system when
they themselves come to power. It is a vicious cycle that plagues
much of the world. Indeed, I cannot say with certainty that the
promises of liberty of the American republicanists in the 18th
century are truly being realized. Such is the cyclical nature of
mankind's existence. Thus We ask that at least a portion of your
Lenten sacrifices be dedicated to the intentions of those people
around the world who are suffering from injustice, persecution,
torment, and warfare.

Within Our See, We are pleased to announce a marked increase in
vocations. We ever strive to have the highest level of clerics in the
service of Christ and His Holy Church within the flock entrusted to
Our pastoral care.

We
also announce, in the spirit of this year's liturgical theme of
Chivalry and Service, a reiterated effort to the preservation of the
history and traditions of the Holy Roman Empire. These traditions are
kept and maintained in a living way within Our Particular Church,
which was indeed born out of the Holy Roman Empire. Her temporal
authority exists as a government in exile alongside her spiritual
authority. That which was created under the authority of the Supreme
Pontiff over one thousand years ago has not died. Its flame burns
bright within Our See as we all within that See fulfill our mandate
and promote the Church Militant here on earth for the benefit and
salvation of all mankind.

As
we begin Lent today, we look forward to the coming festivities of the
Easter Season. That itself is reason enough to proclaim that Lent is
not a time of sorrow or boredom or difficulty, but is itself a time
of joy as we realize the full extent of Christ's Sacrifice for us
all. How can the faithful begin to appreciate what they experience on
Easter without Lent? It would be similar to an athlete receiving an
Olympic medal without first having gone through the experience of
training and preliminary competition. How could that be appreciated
at all? Truly there is no Easter without Good Friday. That might be
an oft-used expression, but it is true. Too often in the world today,
people demand the joys of Easter without the Sacrifice of the Cross.
That cannot be. It cannot produce real results. It is entirely
contrary to the laws of nature. Let us, then, as a collection of
faithful in Christ, serve as an example to the world that the people
everywhere may learn to engage in selfless sacrifice and service to
others to put themselves in solidarity with Our Lord on the Cross.

And
now may the blessing of God Almighty, the Father +, the Son +, and
the Holy + Ghost, come upon you and remain with you always. R. Amen.